Don't "Light These Up" for the 4th of July

FIRST, incase you tend to look at the pictures on my blog, but stray from reading them, let me grab your attention real quick. YOU COULD BE THE LUCKY WINNER OF A REPLICA of THIS ADORABLE CRAFT. Find out the details below. PS. Shame on you for being a looker and not a reader, ha ha.

I've had a huge increase and desire to bake and craft lately AND NOT just baking a good'ol chocolate chip cookie or painting a sun catcher. I ENJOY, thoroughly, starting with the bare essentials, ie. flour or wood, and generating something greater out of it. I also love UNIQUE things. Foods or crafts that people haven't eaten or seen before. Often times, I'm not the original creator. I do however add my own personal touch to things to help make it my own. I'll jump through hoops to get the finite detailsof a recipe. I'll read 1,000 reviews or harass a real bakery 2,000 miles away to share their secrets with me. I usually do not receive a no. LOL! Darren always says, "you are every retailers worst nightmare." LOL! It's true, but for me, seeing the joy my end result brings to someone's taste buds or fireplace mantel is priceless.

Yesterday, I let my creative juices flow. We were already at A.C. Moore to buy jars and stickers for the kids, so I treated myself to some 4th of July paper, embellishments, and stickers. I created my very own set of wooden fireworks and their sitting on my kitchen counter to help celebrate the freedom our Country offers us.

Here are the details.

Sunday night we went to Lowes. I purchased a 6 foot piece of wood ($1.02). A Lowe's employee sawed it down for me (free). I requested (3) 10.5 Inch Pieces, (3) 8.5 inch pieces, and (3) 6.5 inch pieces. Monday, I purchased some 4th of July papers, crafts, paints, and embellishments. Some of it I already had.

I modge podged the scrapbook paper onto the wooden blocks.

Here are the embellishments I chose for this set of fireworks. Stickers, a wooden star, which I painted yellow, and a "USA" pre-painted, wooden 4th decoration.

I found some candles that have been sitting for years underneath my sink and I put them to good use.

I removed the wicks fromm them.

You can buy candle wicks at the store but they were $1.99 for 6. I had them in my shopping cart, but at the last minute, I chose to put them back and utilize the bag of candles I already have and do not use for it's intended purpose.

After I modge podged the paper to the wooden blocks, I tied the "fireworks" together with "jute" string, giving it that "country" feel. WHY? I don't know. My home is definitely NOT decorated that way. My willing hubby drilled a small hole in the top of each firework.

Then, I inserted a candle wick into the hole (remove the silver piece obviously). The candle wick is a MUST to make firecracker look realistic.

I used foam dots to adhere the flag and "USA" embellishment as well as the star to the firework.

And wala!!!

The craft didn't turn out exactly how I had envisioned, but they're cute. I asked Darren if he thought they looked like a set of fireworks and his reply was, "No. They look like presents to me." UGH. What does he know?

I thought this would be a great craft to get Tyson involved in. I gave up control and allowed him (he was so persistent about it) to paint his wooden blocks whatever color he wanted... not just red, white, and blue. After about 5 minutes, he gave up. I said, "You're no fun. I thought you would have a blast creating your own fireworks." He said, "Mom, you did this craft for yourself, not me." OM GOSH! He totally called me out on this. He he. He's too smart for his own good.

So... here's how you can WIN A SET: I want to increase the amount of followers I have on my blog. Click on the word "follow" on the right hand side of my blog. If I see that you are now following me, I will enter you into a drawing for a set of wooden fireworks. If you are already a follower, leave me a comment on my blog and I will enter you into the drawing. A comment alone will NOT work unless you are already a follower. The drawing will take place on Monday, on July 4th. HOW appropriate. You can display them the rest of July.

PS. Just don't "light these up" for the 4th of July!!! Your home will burn down. Ha!